Friends with Benefits
by beatsonlyforyou
Summary: Re-uploaded! Hermione and Draco are in a friends with benefits relationship. Post-Hogwarts. OOC on Draco's end.


**Warning: Fluff and slight OOC-ness on Draco's end.**

I wake up to a blinding light—I really need to start remembering to close the curtains before I go out drinking with the gang. Sunlight is never good for tequila-induced hangovers. I throw my arm over my stinging eyes and turn away from the morning light; my slight movement causes an arm that definitely does not belong to me to pull me closer to a warm body that is definitely not mine. And even with my hangover brain, I instantly know who it is.

"Oh not again!" I loudly exclaim, throwing the offending arm off my body, and instantly regret my fast movements when my whole body screams in protest.

Draco grumbles loudly as he snakes his arm back around me so he can nestle his face into my unmanageable I've-just-been-shagged hair. "Bloody hell, Hermione! It's not even eight in the morning! Can't you save your tirade about how irresponsible we are for a more decent hour?"

I push him off of me completely and grab my threadbare sheets to cover my nakedness so I can make my walk of shame to the bathroom. "When I'm done using the loo, you better be dressed Malfoy."

Even with his hangover, he still manages to pull off his sexy signature smirk. "Okay _Granger_," he emphasizes my last name with a roll of the eyes. "It's not like you haven't seen my naked body before."

Despite the truth of that statement, my face heats up with a blush. "Just get dressed."

In the bathroom, I can have my usual post-shag freak out. My time to think about what led to that moment where I decided it was a good idea to sleep with my best friend...

_It all started at Finnegan's. After the war everyone had to figure out a way to cope with their grief. People sought the help from counselors and psychiatrists because they needed to talk about the horrors instead of bottling it inside. George Weasley was one of these people, because the loss of his twin almost caused him to end his own life and counseling became mandatory and eventually voluntary. Other people left the continent completely—despite the rebuilding, Europe still held terrible memories that they couldn't get past. Seamus Finnegan opened up a bar, typical Irish man that he is, so that those that needed to drink away their pain had a safe place to do so. _

_ This is where Harry, Ron, Ginny, and I found our peace and our rescue. By day we were the cheerful people that we had to pretend to be as we made our speeches and accepted our awards for our work and accomplishments; by night we were allowed to grieve and eventually become the new people that we became. Harry and Ginny married right after the war, so their new formed personalities were formed together, in a good way of course. Ron joined the Chudley Cannons as their new Keeper, so his personality became arrogant and flirty, which quickly caused the end of our short relationship. I was not the kind of girl that was up for the open relationship he wanted us to have. And what happened to me? I threw myself into my Healer training, and became a new, confident, sarcastic version of the old me. _

_ It was at the bar that we saw Draco Malfoy for the first time since the Battle of Hogwarts. No, that's a lie. Harry saw him when he testified for him—the Ministry had wanted to throw the whole Malfoy family in Azkaban; Narcissa and Draco managed to escape that sentence. And I had seen him a couple of times at St. Mungo's. While I had taken the Healer track, Malfoy had gone with the potion/medicinal side of Healing. Our interactions had, at that point, only been awkward and terse._

_ That night, Ron had been telling some wildly _fascinating_ story about some goal that he saved and how it helped him score some chick after his game the night before, and as I rolled my eyes, I noticed a hooded figure coming in through the bar door. With the war still on the brain, my thoughts immediately went to the worse case scenario, that a rogue Deatheater was there to kill us all. But the figure lowered his hood, and the flash of platinum blonde hair shone through the bar. Or maybe it was only that bright and significant with my beer goggles. He had a stoic and unexpressive look on his face as he tried to not cause any disturbance with his appearance. He had literally entered willingly into the den of lions. I knew something was definitely wrong almost instantly._

_ "Shall I get us another round?" I asked my table, ignoring the look of annoyance Ron threw at me for interrupting his story. Harry and Ginny nodded their head in agreement, so I made my way to the bar. _

_ I plopped myself onto the barstool next to my former enemy. "What brings you here on this delightful night, Mr. Malfoy."_

_ Malfoy got a look of disgust on his face. "Ugh, for a second I was about to turn around and make sure my father wasn't standing behind me."_

_ "Note to self: never call Malfoy Mr. Malfoy. I'll remember that for the future."_

_ He smirked. "Are you saying that we're going to have more contact in the future?"_

_ I raised my finger to gesture to Seamus that I had a drink order as I said, "Well I figure that since we're going to become friends I should know what I need to call you."_

_ Seamus walked up. "Hermione...Malfoy. What can I get you?"_

_ "Another round for my table, four shots of tequila while we wait, and..." I looked at Malfoy so he could put in his order._

_ "A beer would be grand."_

_ Seamus nodded, slightly disturbed at the fact that we were being civilized with each other, and he poured our shots. _

_ I grabbed one and gestured that Malfoy should do the same. "To what are we toasting tonight?"_

_ Malfoy was silent for a second before he responded with, "To my father who received the Kiss not forty minutes ago. May he rest without peace in hell." _

_ He downed his drink, and after a few moments to collect myself, I copied his action. "So is that why you willingly entered a bar that is teeming with Gryffindors?"_

_ He smiled—yes, Draco Malfoy actually can smile. "I was hoping not to be noticed. But I guess that crashed and burned when Granger puts it to mind that she wants to make friends with her enemy."_

_ I smiled back. "I always get what I want. And besides, the second you put down your hood any chance of you not being noticed was ruined." I flicked a piece of hair that fell in front of his face. "Your strikingly sexy hair gave you away."_

_ He looked surprised at my forwardness. "Are you drunk, Granger?"_

_ "Me, drunk? Never." Seamus dropped my drinks in front of me—a martini for Ginny, Firewhiskey for Harry, beers for Ron and Draco, and my scotch. I grabbed mine, Ginny's and Harry's. "But grab those two beers and follow me and you can see how I act when I actually am drunk."_

_ He looked apprehensively at the drinks. "Follow you. To your table. But they hate me."_

_ "Nah. The only person who is still holding a grudge is Ron but hand him his beer and tell him he did good in his last match, and you guys will be fast friends. Or at least he won't openly show that he hates you."_

_ I hopped off the stool and started walking back to our table, not stopping to make sure that he was following me. I knew that he would._

_ "Look who I found lurking at the bar like a lost puppy," I announced as I put down the drinks in my hand. Harry and Ginny smiled at my new friend, but Ron just glowered._

_ Malfoy handed him his drink while saying, "That was a good save against the Tornadoes last night. The way you dangled from the broom with one leg while managing to catch it between the two could not be copied."_

_ Harry and Ginny and I noticed the sarcasm and the dig at Ron's abilities—him catching it against his crotch was definitely not planned—but Ron ate it right up. "That move got me in with this smoking hot blonde..." And he was off, retelling the same story that I had left to get away from. _

_ And during his story, I managed to catch Malfoy's eye and when he gave me a slight smile, I knew that he was in with our group._

"Granger!" Draco's voice interrupts my reverie. "I know that you're going through your self-loathing right now, but your phone in ringing and it's interrupting my sleep!"

I hurriedly put on my bathrobe and open the door to the bathroom so he can hand me my cell phone. He had not acquiesced to my request and was still as naked as the day he came into this world. "Put on your freaking clothes!" I yell as I close the door again.

"Again?" Ginny's voice sounds from the phone as I put it up to my ear.

"Oh, don't you sound so condescending, Mrs. Potter. You're the one who lets me go home with him."

"That's because he's so obviously in love with you and I want you to get married and have cute babies."

I scoff. "Draco is not in love with me, Gin. We're just...friends with benefits."

This time a male voice scoffs from her end of the line. Of course Harry was listening in on our phone call. "Please just own up to the fact that you and Draco are in a relationship already," he says, his voice bright and clear through the phone, meaning that he's taken in from Ginny. "You go on dates. He cares for you when you're sick. He practically lives with you, for Merlin's sake!"

"First of all," I protest, "we do not go on dates. We go out to eat after work because we get off at the same time and we're both bloody starving when we do. Secondly, he only stayed with me for that one case of the flu because some people were too busy to take time out of their schedule to make sure their friend wasn't dying. And thirdly, he does not live with me. Yes, he does call the guest room his room but he only stays there when he's too drunk to floo or apparate home."

"Or when you decide to shag him and then kick him out of your bed," Harry responds.

I'm about to make a snarky comment but Draco opens the door before I can. Thankfully he's put on his clothes from the night before. "I'm heading out to the store to buy some milk since you're out and I'm dying for coffee. When I come back, I want to talk." I silently nod my head. "Give my best to the Potter's and have fun discussing me."

"Another thing to add onto the list. He goes out to buy you things that you need. Now please refresh my memory on to how this all started."

I huff and say, "Where's Ginny? I want to talk to her. She doesn't make me explain things."

"She's gone outside with James and Lily. Now please, remind me so I can diagnose your problem."

I roll my eyes but acquiesce. "Well..."

_"Oh my goodness! I can't believe we're finished!" I exclaimed rushing towards Draco who was waiting with outstretched arms so I could jump into them. He spun me around in excitement. _

_ "How'd your test go?" he asked as he put me down._

_ "Bloody brilliant! The examiner said that, although he couldn't tell me officially, I passed with flying colors! He even shook my hand and said, 'Congratulations Healer Granger.'"_

_ "Did you have Mr. Crosby as your examiner?" I nodded my head. "He said the same thing to me, but as Healer Malfoy."_

_ After a year of friendship and hearing Draco complain about the potions duds that were in St. Mungo's, I had convinced him to become a Healer with me. Since he was a year behind, he had a lot of catching up to do, but with my help and many all-night study sessions at my flat, he managed to finish his training at the same time I did. We had just finished our Healing tests, the Muggle equivalent to the medical boards. If we passed, which we obviously did, we would be the highest level of Healers._

_ "To the bar to celebrate?" he asked, and before waiting for me to respond, he apparated us to in front of Finnegan's. He was about to drag us to into the bar, but I pulled back so he would stop. "Can you come over tonight so we can celebrate by ourselves? I love my friends but they've never really understood how much this means to me and how hard it was to get here."_

_ "No problem, 'Mione," he replied, using the nickname that he only calls me._

_ Once inside the bar Harry, Ginny, Ron and his bimbo at the time all took their turns buying us drinks to get us drunk in celebration. They offered their congratulations, made ignorant comments about how easy it must have been for us that made me cringe, and all too soon I wanted to leave. Don't get me wrong, I love my friends enormously. But they never understood, even through Hogwarts, how tough it can be to be smart and how much effort I actually had to put into the past few years of Healing Training._

_ Finally they said their goodbyes, and when Draco casually mentioned that we were going back to my place, Ginny gave me a mischievous look that I didn't know how to decipher. _

_ Since neither of us were in a state to apparate, we had Seamus floo us back to my flat. Again, I got an undecipherable look from him._

_ "What is up with everyone?" I asked aloud and got a questioning look from my friend in response. "Everyone keeps giving me looks as if I brought you here to shag or something."_

_ "Well didn't you?" Draco asks deadpanned, and after a beat of silence we double over in giggles. Yes, Draco Malfoy giggles._

_ "No, I asked you here so we can actually stay up all night by choice rather than by necessity. And to help us accomplish this goal, I'm going to make coffee." I walked into my small kitchen to put the coffee maker on. Although I could've just made it quickly by magic, using appliances gives me a small sense of comfort, like I'm still tethered to my roots. Draco came in and sat down on the counter where I was leaning on it. "I can't believe we're done. We're doctors. Actually doctors. All that studying, all those cram sessions, all of that work actually paid off for something."_

_ "Now I can actually sleep at my own place."_

_ I snorted. "Right, like you're actually going to go back to your place. You practically moved in here this year. If I didn't clear out the second bedroom, you would still be sleeping in my bed."_

_ "Oh please. You know you miss waking up to me everyday," he responded with a smirk._

_ "No, I actually enjoy being able to sleep without your incessant snoring."_

_ "Take. That. Back." He hopped off the counter and started walking towards me as I started walking backwards. I broke out in a run and he started chasing me around the flat. It lasted a few minutes, but he finally managed to grab me around the waist and tackle me onto the couch. "Say it. 'Draco Malfoy does not snore'," he commanded as he pushed my struggling hands into the cushions. _

_ I couldn't say anything—and I know this sounds corny, but I was literally mesmerized by his eyes, which had widened and darkened during my scrutiny. Before I knew it, we were kissing like we had only minutes to live. Clothes came tearing off. Moans were heard. And eventually we were left trying to regain our breath, lying side by side on my bed._

_ "What just happened?" I asked breathlessly._

_ "This is a total and complete guess, but I think we just had sex."_

_ I smacked him on his built chest, which I was now fully aware of. "Yes, I know that, but why?"_

_ He took a moment to collect his answer. "It can be of no surprise that I find you very attractive 'Mione."_

_ I raised myself of my side to peer down at him. "Really?"_

_ He mirrored my position. "Of course, and I know that you find me hot, so it was never a question of why. It was a question of when. And I don't regret it happening."_

_ I was silent as I processed those statements. "Well it can't happen again."_

_ "Why ever not?"_

_ "Because we're not in a relationship."_

_ "Psht, who needs relationships? We can still shag without the label."_

_ "You mean like... friends with benefits?" I asked with slight embarrassment._

_ "Yes that's exactly what I meant," he replied, staring into my eyes. I was suddenly feeling very warm._

_ "Hey Draco...can we cash in on those benefits again?" He jumped back on top of me in response._

_ That started our two-year "relationship". Many nights were spent in his flat, my flat, the on-call rooms at the hospital. But after our "benefits" were being cashed in almost every night, I tried to call it off. It had become too much of a real relationship for me. Although things became awkward and weird for a while, we were able to get back into the swing of our old friendship. But there were definitely times where we reverted back to our old habits._

Which Harry just loves to point out.

"Yes, I can see how calling it off worked out for you," Harry cuts in with a laugh.

"Don't blame me. It's the tequila's fault! You know how I get when a shot gets put in my hand."

"Yes, because every time you've slept with him since has been caused by tequila shots. What about James' birthday party? If I remember correctly, Ginny you and I had a very similar conversation to the one we're having now."

"That night only happened because Ron brought Lavender."

"What about Neville's and Luna's engagement party?"

"That was due to the fact that I had no date."

"What about—"

"Shut up! I get it, okay! I like sleeping with him! I like being with him!" I yell to end his rehash of all the times I've slept with my best friend since. "I love him," I add quietly.

Harry doesn't act like that's world-shaking news. "So tell him," he says simply.

"What if he rejects me?" I ask in that same quiet voice.

"He won't. Believe me. And he'd be crazy if he did." He hangs up before I can say anything else.

I spend the next few minutes standing in front of the mirror. Only Draco can put this spark in my eye. Only Draco can make my hair this crazy—I found very early on into our friends-with-benefits deal that he prefers my crazy curly hair over the sleek waves that I learned to charm it into after the war. Only Draco can put this smile on my face.

I hear the front door open and a whistled tune sound through the flat. It's now or never. I walk out of the loo, still in my bathrobe, and to the kitchen where Draco is putting the groceries that he's bought away. He looks up from the bag that he's digging in and says, "Oh good, you haven't melted into a self-ashamed puddle."

"You said that you wanted to talk?" I ask as I walk closer to him.

"Yes, I did. It's about time that we did."

I wait for him to put the rest away—he had even bought food that he personally likes to stock my flat for when he's here. When he's done, he takes a big sip of the coffee that he had gotten from the store and walks into the kitchen. I'm positively dying from uncertainty.

Once he's made himself comfortable on my couch, he takes a huge dramatic breath and turns to face me. Before he can utter a word, the words "I love you" escape my lips.

Instead of gasping in surprise, or cringing in disgust, he waves off my words with his hand. "Yes, I know that already. I love you too. What I actually wanted to discuss with you is moving in here completely. I packed my things before we went out last night so—why are you looking at me like that?"

He's referring to my drop-jawed amazed expression that's on my face. "Did you seriously just wave off my revelation like it was nothing. I told you I love you and you wave it off? Then say you love me back like we've said it before?"

"Psht, 'Mione, I've loved you from the moment you dragged me to your table and my certain death that night at Finnegan's. And you've loved me since the first time you've laid eyes on me," he smirks.

"Yes, because that's true," I reply sarcastically but then return to serious mode. "But you can't treat this like this! This is a big moment! And asking to move in before we're dating. That's a little bold, if you ask me." I cross my arms, as if I mean serious business.

"Again, I say psht. In my eyes, we've been dating for two years. Now I was thinking that we can turn the spare bedroom into a library—put an extension charm on it to fit our books—stop looking at me like that!"

"What do you mean we've been dating for two years? You're the one that didn't want to label our relationship? You're the one that wanted it to be friends with benefits. We dated other people in those two years!"

He holds up a finger to stop me. "Correction: you dated people. Did I ever once go out on a date with another girl?" I shake my head no. "And I didn't want to put a label on the relationship because it wouldn't have been manly for me to declare my undying love for you the first time we shagged. So I made you think that there wasn't a definition for our relationship, but we were, in fact, dating."

He has a smug smile on his face so I know I need to knock it off. "Well who said that I wanted you to move in?"

Instead of the grin falling, it just got all the much bigger as he crawls over to where I had sat myself at the end of the couch. "Well then we've got a problem on our hands, because I sold my apartment already and everyone is coming here tonight to help me move."

By now he's hovering on top of me, and I look up into his gray eyes. "Why tonight? Why not now?"

He gets a predatory smirk on his face. "Because, Hermione Granger, I plan on, finally and officially, making love to you in _our_ bed, in _our_ room, in _our_ flat for hours on end because you are _mine_."

I can only nod my acquiescence before he does just that.

**I kind of hate this, but it's been in my head for a while. Well, that's that. No harm, no foul.**


End file.
